There's nothing quite like postseason baseball, and this year it's back to normal.

After the COVID pandemic led to an expanded playoff field and centralizedbubbles last season, things will feel more familiar with teams are back intheir own ballparks and, more importantly, in front of their own fans as they vie to be the one hoisting the commi sioner's trophy when the World Series ends. But how will it all play out? That what we'll discu s here.

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As always, we offer a standard caveat:Trying to predict anything in baseball is a silly endeavor, but it's especially true in the postseason. There's alwaysa crapshoot nature to October hardball, and that's sure to play out again in some form this season. Having said that, we're gonna make bold predictions anyway, because why not.Here are Sporting News' predictions for the 2021MLB postseason.

2021 MLB postseason predictionsRyan Fagan, lead MLB writer

ALCS:Rays over AstrosNLCS:Giants over BrewersWorld Series:Rays over GiantsBreakout star:Wander Franco, Rays

Thoughts:

I want to believe in the White Sox. Reto Berra Jersey I really, really do. When they're playing well, they're so much fun to watch. I would not be stunned if they marched all the way to the World Series title. So much personality on that team and so many players who are easy to root for. It would be a great thing for MLB if those players Tim Anderson, Lucas Giolito, Jose Abreu, Eloy Jimenez, Lance Lynn and company won the championship. I honestly hope I'm wrong. But I can't pick them. I don' Alexandre Fortin Jersey t trust the bullpen, and I don't trust the starters other than Lynn (especially if Carlos Rodon is out). I don't like that they went just 13-19 against the other teams in the playoff field, including a 2-5 mark against the Astros, their ALDS opponent. And I really don't like the fact that they finished 26th in the bigs in Defensive Runs Saved, at minus-39 (the Astros, by the way, were third at plus-77). Can't give away outs in October and beat baseball's best teams.

I have no idea what to do with the Giants/Dodgers/Cardinals section of the NL bracket. In doing these predictions, I had each of those teams in the NLCS in various versions. I mean, the Giants won 107 games in the least-flukey manner po sible. They're an excellent, relentle s team that pa ses around the hero cape as well as any team I've ever seen. The Dodgers arelikely without Max Muncy or Clayton Kershaw at least for two rounds, and that's rough. There'sstill a ton of talent on that roster. Having to use Walker Buehler in the final game of the regular season makes the one-game wild-card contest a bit scarier. The Cardinals have been playing better than just about everyone in September 11 of their wins during the 17-game winning streak were on the road once they slottedTyler O'Neill into the lineup between Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, and now they add Jack Flaherty and Dakota Hudson to their postseason pitching staff. That could be Anders Lindback Jersey huge. I do think if St. Louis survives the Giants/Dodgers combo, which absolutely could happen, the Cardinals will top the Brewers or Braves in the NLCS.

It will be interesting to see how teams especially on the NL side adjust for recent injuries to key players. The Giants are without Brandon Belt, who led the club with 29 homers but is sidelined with a fractured thumb. If any group has shown the ability to seamle sly adjust for injuries, though, it's this San Francisco team. The Dodgers won 106 games in the regular season, but we already mentioned Muncy and Kershaw, two stalwarts who went down in the last week. The Brewers Mattias Janmark Jersey were built on pitching three stud starters atop the rotation and two lights-out relievers at the back of the bullpen. Well, now setup man Devin Williams is out after breaking his hand with a wall punch after Milwaukee's division celebration.

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Jason Foster, senior MLB editor

ALCS: Rays over White SoxNLCS:Dodgers over BravesWorld Series: Dodgers over RaysBreakout star:Wander Franco, Rays

Thoughts:

Though I don't have the Yankees or the Red Sox advancing past the ALDS, I do wonder whether their wild-card matchup will be or whether it'll be a four-hour slog that doesn't really entertain anyone outside those fan bases. The baseball fan in me wants a thrilling back-and-forth affair, but the realist is expecting something in between a cla sic and the aforementioned slog. In any case John Carlson Jersey , it's always po sible the winner could stay hot, surprise everyone and ruin these predictions. But I wouldn't bet on it.

It's not reflected in my picks, but I'm curious how much Cardinal Devil Magic we'll see this postseason. It's po sible we won't see any and the Cardinals will fall to the Dodgers in the wild-card game. But if St. Louis wins the wild-card game, the NL postseason could become downright Satanic. Sorry, I don't make the rules. But seriously, the Cardinals do seem to find a new gear once the postseason arrives, no matter their regular-season record. Although, their recent 17-game winning streak could mean they found that new gear a little too early.

The Braves won just 88 games this season in a very weak NL East, but the team that finished the season is not the same team that played so mediocre in the first half. Trade-deadline acquisitions Jorge Soler, Adam Duvall and Eddie Rosario have transformed the Atlanta outfield and substantially lengthened the lineup in the absence of injured Ronald Acua Jr. Not to mention that starters Charlie Morton and Max Fried are plenty capable of giving even the best lineup fits. The point is, it shouldn't surprise anyone if Atlanta makes a deep run. Don't let the record fool you.

Despite everything I've just said, look for a repeat of last year's Fall Cla sic. Dodgers over Rays, despite the absence of Max Muncy and Clayton Kershaw. Taylor Chorney Jersey But at least Blake Snell can't be removed too early this time.

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Edward Sutelan, content producer

ALCS: Rays over White SoxNLCS: Brewers over DodgersWorld Series: Rays over BrewersBreakout star: Wander Franco, Rays

Thoughts:

The Dodgers have been the most talented team in baseball for the past several years, yet they have just one title to show for it. Theyre the best team in the game yet again, but the Brewers look built for the postseason. Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta give Milwaukee a one-two-three punch to counter the Dodgers deep rotation of Max Scherzer, Walker Buehler and Julio Urias, while Josh Hader and Brad Boxberger will be weapons in the postseason, even without